


A Ghost from the Past

by HavokQueen



Category: The Gifted (TV 2017), X-Men (Movieverse)
Genre: Alternate Timelines, Angst, Character Death, Dying X-men, F/M, Past Character Death, The Author Regrets Nothing, Timeline What Timeline, X-Men Cameos, X-Men References, au x-men movies, most x-men are dead, the gifted
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2018-10-05
Updated: 2018-11-02
Packaged: 2019-07-25 16:46:45
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 5
Words: 6,315
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/16201598
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/HavokQueen/pseuds/HavokQueen
Summary: Alex Summers has been on the run for a while now. With nowhere else to go, Havok tries to reach the Mutant Underground with hope to continue fighting for Charles Xavier's dream of coexistence. However, Alex finds a lot more than a new purpose. He reunites with Lorna Dane, his childhood best friend, who believes him dead and buried.





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> So, I love "The Gifted" and I really needed to write a fanfiction about it. Since I am going to use a character who first showed up in X-men First Class: Alex Summers, I am warning that timelines and years don't matter here. I don't intend to figure out in what year does the show take place or how old Alex would be at that time, because he would be very old. For all the Eclaris fans... this is definitely not for you. So, no hate, you are warned. The story takes place after episode 10 of "The Gifted" So, enjoy!
> 
> Disclaimer : I don't own the characters in this story. They belong to Marvel.
> 
> Also, if you find any grammar or spelling mistakes warn me. I am not a native English speaker,but I have done my best to write correctly.

Alex Summers was many things. A soldier, a leader, an X-man, but it didn't matter anymore. His friends and family were gone and he was alone in a dark world. His little brother was gone too and it was his fault. He couldn't protect him, couldn't help him. It was his responsibility and he had failed once more, like so many years ago in a plane crash that Alex believed Scott had died in along with his parents.

_"Take your brother's hand. You have to help him open his parachute and then open your own. Take care of him, take care of each other. We love you both so much"_

He opened his eyes looking out of the window of the bus. The memory of the burning plane, his mother's face right before it blew up, Scott flying next to him. The burning parachute. It was so fresh in his mind and it happened so many years ago. Alex wanted to scream every time he thought about it.

Three years had passed and the situation hasn't changed, quite the opposie in fact. It has gotten worse. Scott had died without seeing their dream achieved. Actually most of the X-men had died that way. Legends often died without witnessing their goal reached. It wasn't fair, but life rarely was. Alex had found Scott one time and it had been a miracle. Now he lost his little brother again and Alex had lost a second chance. The universe never gives a third one. So many names flew in his head. Charles, Hank, Sean, Jean, Ororo and so much more. They were all gone or he knew that much. There was still hope that they might be alive.

Alex wanted to laugh. Charles really had gotten under his skin with his constant talk about hope and a better future. He wasn't going to doubt his mentor's lessons right now though, even if darker thoughts had crossed his mind on some occasions. Only the hope was keeping him from snapping. He was aware that he was screwed up for three years now. Time didn't heal all wounds, it just helped numb the pain, bury it, but it was always there like a hellish reminder.

His whole life Alex fought for the better future that Charles had talked about. The dream of peaceful coexistence was never accomplished and the feeling was crushing him. The Mutant Underground was his last chance to fight for his kind. Maybe even see Charles's dream come true, if indeed his mentor was dead, Alex could at least continue his legacy. He owned him that much after all he had done for him.

Moving from place to place was awfully hard, but Alex was used to it by now. He traveled light with a small bad with only a couple of stuff he could take. Hiding his mutation wasn't that hard either. Yes, they were days when he had just wanted to send a blast at some asshole, but he had always restrained himself in time.

After the 7/15 everything had gone to hell. He hadn't seen all of the bodies of his friends. Alex hadn't been even sure whose body he saw. It had been just too damn confusing. Gun shots and raging powers everywhere. He had been sure for one thing. One body that he had seen, one person that he had been sure was gone, one ghost that would chase him for the rest of his life: Scott. A Purifier had shot him right through the brain. His brother didn't even see where it had come from. A part of Alex's soul had flickered away that day, a big part that he couldn't take back anymore. Something dark took its place. Havok had almost killed that Purifier. He couldn't stop himself, the rage and pain overwhelming him. Memories of his time with his little brother flew through his mind and he didn't even know what doing, but a presence in his head stopped him.

_"Scott wouldn't have want that. This isn't you"_

_"No, he wouldn't, but I do."_

Jean didn't let him do it, her telepathy too strong to resist. Alex had told her to let him go, but she had refused. He had been both grateful to Jean and hated that she had stopped him. He had just wanted to kill that monster, but with a part of himself he knew she was right. Jean had reminded him of who he was that moment, when he felt only pure rage flow thought his blood. Scott wouldn't have wanted that. His little brother who had looked up to him. He wasn't going to fail him, to fail anyone of the lost X-men, or Charles. On the other hand, he had wished Jean had let him do it.

Alex had killed before. Yes, there was no other choice, but to do it for the sake of his teammate. He had talked to Charles about it, told him that he would do it again to save his friends and to get back to Scott. Even if that made him a monster.

Still there was part of him that was on the edge to just give up, wanting to die too, like the others. He felt weak and ashamed. There was also another part, that was dark and violent the part that wanted to kill that Purifier. It took him everything to keep his mind together, to continue, to find the Mutant Underground and help them. 7/15 was a day he would always remember. Not just because of the people he had lost, but also because of the scars on his face, that would always remind him of his failure. How can you forget the day that took away everything from you? Simple answer for a simple question. You can't. It will hunt you, wake you up in the middle of the night, trying to break you until you give in.

The bus stopped and he got out carrying his bag over his shoulder. He pulled the scrubby paper out of his pocket. Now he only needed to contact them.


	2. Chapter 2

The Mutant Underground leaders and the Strucker family were back at the HQ after Sonya's funeral.

Lorna's whole world was falling apart slowly and that made it hurt more. This day the realization hit her hard. The realization that in their world there was only hate and pain. Her best friend was now dead, killed by a madman with a goal to end and lock up all mutants.

She went to her and Marcos's room without looking back. Polaris needed some time alone, at least a minute or two to get herself back together. The others couldn't see her that way, that vulnerable with everything she believed in shaken.

Lorna entered closing the door behind her, sinking to her knees fighting angry tears. She was sure she had heard Marcos calling her name a couple of times, but she couldn't go to him now. He was worried, but Lorna needed to grief on her own.

She was helpless, the feeling eating her from the inside. How could she bring a baby to this world, an innocent little child? Her baby would be born in to a world, where mutants were hated and feared just because they were different. They were chased and locked up for no reason and that baby may have the same fate.

The metal in the room started vibrating violently, so many emotions blurring in Lorna's mind. There was a slight knock on the door.

"Babe?" She could hear Marcos from the other side. "Are you okay?" He sounded worried.

Lorna calmed herself down and the metal stopped vibrating, the green glow from her eyes gone too.

"I am fine" The lie escaped from her lips. A big, fat lie and she felt like punching herself for it. She had never lied to Marcos, for anything.

"Can I come in?" Marcos asked

"Yes" Lorna said her voiced breaking at the end. She had to keep it in, but her emotions were taking the best of her.

The door opened and Marcos came in, his eyes full of sadness and concern. Sonya was his friend too. He sank next to her and held her in his arms.

"It is okay" He whispered, but part of her felt that he wasn't sure himself.

"How is anything okay? " Lorna asked, the words coming out hard.

"It will be, I know it" Marcos said, still holding her.

"Marcos, I can't bring this baby in this world. It is inhumane" She finally said. 

Next to her Marcos stiffened and sighed sadly.

"I know, it is hard, but we can do this together. We are a team, right?"

"We are a team" Lorna said and heard Marcos's phone ringing from his pocket.

Why now? It was always at the worse time imaginable. Lorna hugged herself, feeling cold and empty. The sadness had taken her in its embrace and she wanted to escape. Lorna was sick of feeling grief and pain.

"You should probably take this." She said at last, wiping a tear from her face, annoyed.

Marcos sighed, irritated as well. If the phone was ringing, then it should be important. Not everyone had the number.

"Hello" He said as he picked up.

"I will need the Mutant Underground's help with something" The voice one the other side of the line was raspy and Lorna wondered what would this person want. Maybe it was a mutant in trouble?

"Which is?" Marcos asked

"We will have to meet. Explaining over a phone call is a little harder." The voice, who clearly belonged to a man, said.

"Tex's Lounge, Atlanta, Georgia, 17:00 p.m. " Marcos said

"See you there" The voice confirmed and hung up.

"That was a quick conversation" Marcos said turning back to Lorna.

"Maybe they don't have time" She said, not really caring. "Are you going alone?" Lorna asked. She really didn't want to go, but if Marcos needed her she would. Everything was just too much at the moment.

Marcos nodded and she was thankful that he didn't ask her.

"Good luck" She got up and kissed him, her lips smashing into his. Lorna felt warmth spread thought her body.

"I will be back soon" Marcos said after the kiss ended.

He headed out of the room and closed the door behind him and Lorna was left with her own thoughts and grief.

She brought her knees to her chest and hugged them. Sonya was dead, they were targeting them one by one. Polaris didn't intend to stay and watch it all happen, they had to make a stand and stop hiding. This baby didn't deserve to call this hateful world home and to have to endure that horror.

She was sure that Esme will be coming back after the reunion with her sisters. They wanted to stop the Hound program as much as the Underground.

Lorna's thoughts were flying around freely. Some were for her dead friend, her body still in Campbell's laboratory. Some were for the triplets and wonder, what would they do next. Most of Lorna's thoughts were about the baby growing inside of her. Would be it be okay? She had already had a nightmare about what can happen to her baby and family.

Here and now Lorna swore that she wouldn't let it happen, whatever the cost was. No more dead mutants. She owned Sonya to make things right with the world and above all, she owned it to her child, because that is what parents do. The make the world better for their child and keep it safe. Lorna would do it with whatever means necessary.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hey guys, I am really sorry the chapter is so short,but trust me the others, after one or two more short ones, are longer. Hope you enjoy it!


	3. Chapter

Alex hung up the phone and put it back into his pocket. The meeting was arranged and now he only had to reach the place.

Tex's lounge was near the area he was in,so getting there would be quick.

He ran a hand through his hair as he turned around the corner. Alex wasn't sure what to expect the Underground to be. When Charles had established the network he had choosen John Proudstar to be the leader. Alex hadn't minded that decision, so he had nodded, expressing his approval.

Thunderbird was a good person and he had leader capabilities. Charles had choosen one more leader thought, but Alex didn't know the name. He had sent Evangeline to try and recruit the mysterious mutant.

Charles hadn't been sure if she would accept. The Professor hadn't told the X-men about it for some reason or other. Maybe he had wanted the girl to keep her identity a secret.

It was exactly 17:00 p.m. when Alex entered the bar. He looked around and saw a man with dark hair at the end of the room. He raised his hand from the table and it glowed with bright light. Alex moved to his direction with a sharp nod and sat down in the chair against him.

"So, how did you get the number?" Marcos asked leaning back in his seat.

"A friend of mine gave it to me" Alex said hesitating for a second. He was there to help them, but would he do it as an X-man. Would they ask a lot of questions, which he isn't ready to answer? Alex thought for a second. He was still an X-man. He was one his whole life and didn't intend to stop being one, even if the team was gone.

" I believe you have heard of Professor X." He said at last.

Marcos's eyes widened in surprise. Of course, he had heard of the Professor. The man who established the X-men and the one, who originally founded the Underground.

"So you want to join us, I guess?" Marcos asked.

Alex nodded and looked the man in the eye. Was he one of the leaders of the Underground? He only had remembered Thunderbird being assigned to it and the Professor talking about a woman that he wanted to recruit being the second leader.

After all 3 years had passed since the Underground had been established, leadership changed, as everything else in life did. Another leader shouldn't surprise him, it was stupid.

"I believe I can help you save mutants, to fight back." Alex said. He knew that with the development of the "Hound" program things were going to be tough in the near future, they could use help in their fight.

Alex didn't want to admit that maybe he needed them more that they him. After the X-men disbanded, Alex needed to find a way to fight for the cause that started all those years ago. He was part of the first class, he couldn't just let it all to end.

"We have a standard procedure regarding people joining. They will have to check on your past, to be sure we can trust you and you are not lying. The Underground is built on trust." Marcos explained.

Alex could see how hesitant the man in front of him was. Good. He didn't trust people easily and these days, that was a good quality.

"My name is Alexander Summers or Havok" Alex said bluntly. "You can check on whatever you want." He shrugging.

"Marcos Diaz" The man said, finally deciding to introduce himself. Not that Alex really cared if Marcos would tell him his name, making friends wasn't a priority. "Then we have a deal" He stood up giving his hand for a shake.

Alex stood up as well, shaking Marcos's hand. "I expected a full integration" He smirked.

"That number is pretty hard to get" Marcos said

"Then how do mutants in trouble reach you?" Alex asked rising a brow. Curiosity overhelmed him, even if we knew that staying at one place for too long might be dangerous.

"Most of the times we find the mutants in trouble, but we have two networks for connection. The first number is easier to find by mutant refugees and such and the second one is more is more of a private line. We haven't used it until now." The man explained and Alex nodded.

"Good, I was staring to worry that you are too trusting with so little questions" Alex said his tone cold. Again, making friends wasn't a priority, but that was probably going to be a problem. As Marcos said, the Underground was built on trust, they were probably something like a family.

Alex did not intend to get close to these people and then lose them. That is what it happened, every damn time. It happened with his parents, with his childhood best friend, his brother, two times, and the X-men, who were like a family to him.

He thought of a new rule for himself. Don't try to be friendly with all of them, just the usual business talk. Don't let your guard down, even for a second. Keep the cold exterior on your face and keep it there.

Alex was sure that this will do the work. Of course he didn't want them to hate him, but he wanted them to know, that he wasn't the type to talk much. Not that he usually was.

If Sean was here and knew what Alex was thinking, he would probably roll his eyes and make sure Alex had noticed. He would say something about how Alex needed new friends, to distract him and make him feel welcomed.

Alex could almost hear his friend's voice in his head, talking and talking. For the first time in forever he felt like laughing. Sean was one of a kind.

The good feeling he had experienced drowned two seconds later, when Alex realized that Sean was probably dead. His stomach rolled up into a ball.

"We are not naive" Marcos said rather defensively.

Alex had forgotten that he had said something. "Never said that" He replied shrugging. "Are we going?"

"Yes, we are." Marcos said and the men left the lounge.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Here is Chapter 3. I really should decide on when to update, as I have prepared around 7 more chapters and currently writing more. My updates will probably be weekly, but I am not 100% sure yet. Anyways, sorry for the short chapter again :)


	4. Chapter 4

_~~~~_

Marcos arrived with the man, that had introduced himself as Alex in the Headquarters. Introduced would be a inaccurate word, it was more like Alexander had given him his name to look into it later, as Marcos said to check if they could trust him. Marcos was sure that he had heard of the X-man Havok before. He just didn't remember when. If that was true, then they would have a former X-men on their side. That was an useful advantage, considering the Frosts involvement in the whole situation during the past weeks.

Marcos was still angry at Esme's actions. He was more angry at himself, because he had let it happen, even when he was sure that the idea to attack Trask Industries was bad. She had come into their lives, screwed their plans a little bit and ended up winning as she had gained back her sisters and the Underground had lost Sonya. Esme had convinced them to go and try to infiltrate the lab. They shouldn't have listened to her and now the price was paid for that mistake.

The trip to the Headquarters was a silent one. Neither of the two man talked. Marcos didn't mind that at all, but silence gave him plenty of time to think. He had found his thoughts driving back to Sonya. Another one of his friends dead. The thoughts, he had overwhelmed his mind with, weren't pleasant.

Marcos went to Sage as soon as they arrived,  with Alex following him.

"First, we need to check up your history as I said earlier" He informed his companion, who seemed either uninterested or annoyed. Marcos decided to ignore him and turned to the technopatic mutant. "Sage, can you check a name for me? " Marcos asked looking at the mutant. She looked past his shoulder at Alex and narrowed her eyes. 

"Of course." She shook her head, as if she had just remembered he had asked her something. 

"It won't take you a lot of time, I am sure" Marcos said ''The name is Alexander Summers. You should look up for a mention of the codename Havok."

Sage began typing on the keyboard, the sound reverberating throughout the whole room filled with computers and hard drives. "I found information" She declared and Marcos looked at the screen.

There were a couple of decoded files from the CIA and a little more information here and there. A document that made Alex an offcial gardian of a kid named Scott. It wasn't written straight away, but it was true. He was an X-man, part of the first class founded by Charles Xavier originally called Division X. Of course, there was a chance that this man could be lying for everything and had just managed to steal a former X-men's identity and the whole information.

Marcos found that a way too paranoid thougt, but he decided to keep an eye on Alex for a while, just to be sure. He couldn't consentrate only on that though. Right now the situation in the Underground was intense enough, because of the triplets. Some of the members didn't trust them at all, some thought that they have saved them. Marcos was the first type, but he was also sure that they will be coming back. These girls wanted something, so they would take it, it seemed logical.

"Thank you Sage" Marcos said and looked back at Alex "It's all good" He said

Alex only nodded when he told him. Marcos got the feeling that he wasn't the talkative type or he didn't talk, if it wasn't necessary.

"Now I will introduce you to the other leaders" Marcos said as he saw John going down the stairs with with Lorna behind him. Great timing. He approached them and he saw Lorna freeze her eyes widened. She was staring right at Alex like she had seen a ghost.

Her lips were moving wordless and Marcos frowned. What was happening? "Lorna are-" He couldn't finish his question as Lorna interrupted him in mid sentence.

"Alex?" She asked, her voice only a little over a whisper.

In this moment Marcos had a million of questions he could ask Lorna, but now was not the right moment. Also, he was sure that she would explain everything in time. She looked shell-shocked, he face a mixture of confusion, happiness and anger. Marcos could definitely read the angry spark dancing in her eyes. What the hell was going on?

* * *

 

Lorna and John had gone both downstairs to check if Marcos was back from the meeting. She had tried to talk to John about Sonya while Marcos had been gone, but she couldn't find the right words. Lorna felt like she had to say something. She had agreed to this plan too, after all. It felt like she had owned her friend a little bit of support.

"I am sorry" She had finally said to him.

"It's not your fault, Lorna. There is nothing to be sorry about" John had said

"I am sorry that we keep losing the people we love, because of this war of survival" She had said "I am sorry that I listened to Esme and her stupid idea, even if we weren't ready to go in there." A feeling of guilt finding its place in her chest.

"You weren't the one who pulled the trigger. It was Campbell. It is his fault." John had said the pain and anger noticeable in his eyes, in his stance, in his very aura. Lorna could see that he was hurting from a mile away.

"We will make it right" Lorna had stated feeling the guilt fly away to make place for the anger that had rotted in her heart now. Campbell would pay by any means necessary and that was a promise she had made to herself then.

''I know" John said with a look of determination.

"And if you need something, I am here" She had said

"I know that too'' He had smiled slightly, the pain still in his eyes. 

Lorna spotted Marcos walking over to them. A man with a familiar blond hair and blue eyes was following him. Lorna concentrated, trying to remind herself, why was the man so familiar. He had looked at her right in the eyes and then Lorna remembered. Everything was the same, except for the burned left side of his face. His nose looked crooked too. There was a big scar over his right eye that wasn't there before.

Lorna felt herself freeze in one place. She couldn't move, couldn't think, so many emotions coming back hitting her with full force. Suddenly all of the world around her didn't matter anymore. All she could see were the deep blue eyes staring at her, expecting her to react, to say something. That couldn't be possible, but he was standing right in front of her.

_Alex looked away from the window turning back to Lorna, who was observing her hair in the mirror._

_"You know what is fun? " He asked moving towards her._

_"What?" She asked looking at a lock of her green hair._

_"Well, your favorite color is green and your hair is green now. It would have sucked if it was pink or blue" He said giving her a smile, trying to cheer her up._

_Lorna chucked "You really are thinking about that right now? Why are you even telling me this? "_

_"To make you feel better." He stated sympathy in his eyes. "Are you afraid of what your parents will say?"_

_"I... I don't know „She said her voice cracking. Lorna wanted to believe that they will accept her with her mutation and hair, but she didn't know if they would. However, Alex did accept her and that was the most important part._

_"I have an idea" Alex's face lightened up. "I am gonna go to the store and buy you hair dye. Then we will use it to make your hair the same as it was before, we can do it every time you see the green showing up"_

" _You will do that?" Lorna asked feeling tears gather in her eyes. How could she be so luck with him? She pushed them away and looked back at her friend._

_"Of course" Alex said his tone serious "I will always help you Lorna, I will always be next to you."_

_Lorna broke the distance left between them and hugged him, digging her fingers into his back tightly._

_"I love you" She whispered in his ear._

_"I love you too" He said, hugging her back_.

She snapped back to reality where her oldest, best friend was looking at her with the same blue eyes, that she had looked into so many times before.

"Alex?" She finally managed to saysay, feeling like would choke on the words. 

Lorna knew that Marcos and John were watching her, confused. They probably didn't know what to make out of the situation. Heck, she didn't even know what to make out of it herself. The only thing she knew was that Alex was here, alive and well. Everything else drowned away.

"Lorna?" Alex looked shocked as well, but Lorna saw a flame of shame in his eyes. How was that even possible?

"You are alive?" She asked her voice cracking from the emotion. 

Lorna wasn't even sure what she was feeling herself. Was she happy to see him or angry that somehow he ended up alive and she didn't know?She hadn't seen him for almost a decade now. A wave of anger went through her. He was alive this whole time and didn't try to find her, to tell her.

She breathed in.The explanations could wait, right here, right now, Lorna wanted one thing. She ran to Alex, crossing the distance between them and hugged him tightly, burying her face into his chest, like she did so many years ago, when he had just suggested to help her cover her newly found green hair. She could feel him tensing for a second, but he hugged her back.

"I missed you so damn much, you dumbass" She said feeling tears rolling down her cheeks. It was pointless to try and stop them now.

There were a lot of questions that needed to be asked, but they had time. For the first time in forever Lorna felt like she had all the time in the world. This day she had lost a friend and got back another one. Things didn't seem that hopeless anymore

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> And here is another chapter. I hope you like it. Feel free to express your opinion in the comments and leave kudos, if you enjoy my story. Advice and criticism is always welcomed. See ya soon!


	5. Chapter 5

Alex had expected a slap or Lorna to yell at him, or anything else really. Instead she had hugged him, telling him she had missed him. He had almost stepped back from the shock, but something had kept him in his place. Probably the fact that he wanted Lorna to hug him, like she used to.

Alex tensed under her touch, but after a moment hugged her back, realizing how much he had ached to feel her body near his and look into her eyes again. Eyes, that weren't like anything he had seen before.

"I missed you too" He said feeling the warmth that came with the hug.

Everyone was staring now, but Alex didn't give a damn. This moment was his and Lorna's and he didn't want it to end. It did tough, when Lorna pulled away slowly. Alex looked at her green eyes, drowning in them for a second. All of their memories together flooded his mind.

_Alex knocked on the door, hesitantly. The sleeve of his shirt was burned as well as his shoulder. It hurt, but Alex didn't care. At least the rain was making it better. Fear, threatened to overwhelm him. He was scared of what he could do to people with the red light. Scared that the people, who run the orphanage will found out what he did. What will happen when they find out?_

_Lorna opened the door rubbing her eyes. "Alex? What are you doing herehere? it's late." She asked first confused, but Alex could see a shade of worry on her fac_ e.

_"Get in and tell me what happened" She said and Alex could feel his mouth go dry._

_What if Lorna would think he was some kind of freak?_

_He took a hesitant step forward and walked inside her house. Lorna closed the door behind him and turned to face him. Without a warning she grabbed his arm and led him to the couch, sitting down._

_Seconds felt like hours. Why did he come here? He should have known better. What would happen if she said she hated him for what he did? So many questions were swimming in his mind and Alex wasn't sure if he wanted them answered._

_"You can tell me everything Alex." She said softly._

_Alex took a deep breath and closed his eyed for a moment. That was Lorna Dane in front of him. His best friend, his support, his everything. She had been there when Alex was at his lowest, when he had just lost his whole family and the world had seemed a much darker place. She was there, when he felt like his life had ended at the age of 9. Lorna had decided to be friends with that angry boy, just because she wanted._

_He opened his eyes and stared at hers._

_"I..I.. had a nightmare and when I woke up... there was fire in my room... I think... it is my fault, Lorna" Alex explained his voice desperate, the dry feeling in his mouth had returned. "My hands were glowing with this red burning light and I did it. I set fire at the orphanage. Then I just freaked out...pulled the fire alarm and ran away... It's all my fault." He bowed his head down, feeling the shame and guilt crushing him. What would his father think of him if he had seen this?_

_Lorna lifted his chin, so his eyes met hers._

_"That was an accident" She said softly. "Did you want to do it?"_

_The question caught him off guard and a wave of anger went thought him._

_"Of course not!" Alex snapped._

_He realized what he had done and tried to apologize, but Lorna cut him off before he could make the words get out of his mouth._

_"Then it was an accident" Lorna stated leaving no room for argument._

_"Lorna, I set my damn room on fire. That should be impossible. I am... I am some kind of freak" Alex said feeling the desperation creeping in the back of his mind again._

_"No!" Lorna's tone was sharp, almost angry. "You are not a freak, Alex. You are special, you have a gift that no one else has" She said looking into his eyes. "Do you hear me? You are not a freak. You are a good person and an amazing friend." Lorna said "I want you to remember that and never forget it."_

_Alex could feel a big burden falling from his shoulders, hearing Lorna saying those words. He could feel tears rolling down his cheeks, but he didn't care. It was too late to stop them anyway. Lorna wasn't afraid of him. That was important now. There was someone that cared about him and that was her._

_The doubts from earlier seemed stupid and unreal. Lorna hadn't turned her back on him. He felt guilty for even considering that she would do it._

_"Now, let's go to the kitchen and take care of that burn." She said softly_

_Alex hugged her tightly, trying to express all of his gratitude and passion into one hug._

_"Thank you Lorna" He said_

_Lorna hugged him back "Always" She whispered._

_She had said that is was a gift, but Alex knew that from now on, he won't be using that red light. Next time, he could hurt Lorna with it. It was dangerous, too dangerous._

Alex snapped back to the present. Lorna's bright green eyes still looking at him. All of this felt ages ago, a past that was long gone, like it was another live. A life far more innocent, even if it wasn't perfect.

Sometimes, when he couldn't fall asleep at night, Alex was wondering how did he got here. He was just a kid, who had lost his whole family in a plain crash, stuck in the foster system, who had found a friendship and love in the face of Lorna, when he had thought his life was over at the age of 9 and was just an angry, little brat.

A kid that hat gotten adopted by people who were searching for a replacement for their son, who had separated him from Lorna dragging him into another state.

A kid was so angry at his foster parents for separating him from Lorna, that had involved himself with the wrong company and ended up stealing just for the hell of it.

A kid, registered in the juvenile detention system at seventeen. A kid whose power were so uncontrollable that he ended up killing the man who threaten the foster sister, who at first he hated, because she had reminded him so much of the brother he had lost, but eventually grew on him.

A kid who had been tried as an adult, accused of murder at seventeen. A kid, whose entire life was ruined by the curse of that damned red light. A kid, whereon was shown a better way by a man, whose dream Alex had been fighting for since he was a teenager. A kid that had grown up to lead the first class of X-men, that practically had raised his brother and had helped train the second generation.

All of this felt so long ago, that it hurt. He could see their faces when he closed his eyes. Lorna was here thought, a living memory, a reminder of the simple times.

"We can talk if you want to" He said and Lorna nodded biting her lip. She was angry, Alex could tell. He was still surprised that she didn't punch him in the face after that hug. It probably took a lot from her not to do it.

"I will show you your room and we can talk there" She said, grabbing his arm in a hurry. Alex could say something was bothering her, but it was better to leave it alone now, he could ask later.

The room wasn't anything special, but Alex didn't even expect special. There was bed and that was enough. He wasn't fussy when it came down to that stuff. He turned to face Lorna and gave her a small smile.

"I know you probably have a lot of questions" He said and she simply nodded.

"I have to do something real fast and then I will come back and you can explain to me how the hell are you still alive!" She said, her tone coming out sharp.

Alex couldn't blame her for being mad at him. In her shoes, he would probably punch himself repeatedly, hard and right in the face. He was thankful that Lorna wasn't him in this moment.

"Take your time" was all he said before Lorna went out of the room, leaving him alone to look around.

He wondered how he should start. An apology was a good way to do it. She  definitely deserved one. Then he would explain everything. The reason he didn't tell her he was alive. That also included sharing his past as an X-man.

Alex hoped Lorna wouldn't ask for details. It would be too painful to remember, to describe the life he had lost, but if Lorna demanded it, Alex would tell her everything in the slightest detail. She deserved that and Alex would try his best to give it her. He owned her that much, taking into an account the pain he had caused her.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> First, I want to start with apologizing for the super late update. Life is keeping me busy, but I promise I will try to. update more frequently.


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